It is well known in the prior art to use stylets within tubes to be inserted into a body in order to stiffen the tube to facilitate insertion as seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 873,275, 2,188,631, 2,164,926, 3,397,699, 3,467,101, 3,672,372, 3,726,283, 3,924,632, 3,957,005, 4,073,287, 4,073,297, 4,111,190, 4,148,319, 4,155,364, and 4,160,446. Nasogastric and Nasojejunal tubes are widely used for hyperalimentation. It is frequently necessary to employ stylets with these tubes in order to introduce them into the correct position in the patient. Existing devices require the physician to either confirm the location of the tips of such tubes by X-ray, which in some cases is an unnecessary expense and an added risk to the patient, or to remove the stylet and confirm the tube position by using other procedures. These procedures include auscultation using air, injection of small quantities of water, and aspiration of gastric contents for identification. With all of these procedures the stylet is removed conventionally. If the tube is found to be improperly positioned, the stylet must be reintroduced into the tube in the patient which involves the risk that the stylet will pass through the tube and puncture soft gastrointestinal or respiratory tissues. This risk is unacceptable and avoided by removing the tube and then reintroducing it after the stylet has been inserted into the tube. This involves discomfort for the patient and a loss of time. The problem is greatly aggravated when it takes several repetitions of the procedure before the tube is found to be in the proper position.
In accordance with the invention, the above problem is solved by having a combined tube and stylet which permits the carrying out of the above discussed procedures without the removal of the stylet.